A Poem By My Mother

Photo Credit: By ON at de.wikipedia

I often attribute my word artistry to my mother. She was a writer all her life, and whatever spurred that part of her was passed along to me. Whether by nature or nurture, her love for writing became mine as well. Her style of poetry was very traditional - rhyme and meter, rhyme and meter - and that's how I also write most of mine. I've tried more modern forms of poetry, but I'm never as satisfied with those attempts as I am when I sound more like Mom. This little untitled piece was in my Facebook memories this morning and I wanted to share it with you. 


Oh how I wish this could be done,
To reunite with people who've passed,
To gain back time that has been lost,
To make the special moments last.

But we must instead keep moving forward, 
Though the memories we won't forget.
Apply those lessons we've learned from the past,
And live fully, without regret.

I'd find the friends of days gone by
And the closeness we once knew.
I'd find the hopes, the plans, the dreams, 
The heart I lost to you. 

I'd find the innocence of youth,
My faith in fellowman.
I'd find a joy in simple things, 
The way I did back then.

I'd find such beauty in a rose
Or in a mountain view. 
I'd find the pleasures I have lost
In little things I do.

I'd take the bitter with the sweet,
I'd take the weeds with clover,
If I could turn the clock around
And start my life all over. 

Shirley Love
3/28/1936 - 8/31/2013

Little Girl Lost

Little girl lost, I see you crying,

Your wounded heart breaking in your chest.
I know that inside you may feel like you’re dying,
And life is putting you to the test.

The bullies who tease and torment you today
Won’t mean a thing when you’re grown.
Just open your eyes and find your way.
You’ll soon realize that you’re not alone.

They say hurtful words and have hateful ways.
Don’t associate yourself with their brand.
You have words, too, and yours will amaze
In a fashion they can’t understand.

March through the crowd, hold your head high.
You were born for bigger, better things.
Paint on a smile; don’t let them see you cry.
When the time comes you’ll spread your wings.

You’ll fly far away and beat your own drum,
Confident being who you were meant to be.
I can promise you now all these things will come,
Because little girl lost, you grow up to be me.

Black Hell

Once upon a time the streets were lively in that small town
Teenagers cruised the main drag on weekends
Honking and yelling at one another in passing
Children pedaled vigorously to meet their friends in the park
Or to the corner store for candy and arcade games
Mothers pushed their babies in strollers
Around the walking path
Or across the fairgrounds
Circling the midway to the sounds of a carnival
Lights from the streetlamps and storefronts illuminated the night sky
Generations of families lived there
“It’s a safe place to raise kids”
Everyone knew everyone
The faces were all familiar

But people began wanting more than what small town life could offer
The teenagers went off to college
Honking and
Waving goodbye
The corner stores closed and
Children stayed home to play video games
The soil harbored bitterness and
Mothers took their babies away
“It’s not safe there anymore”

The streets are barren
The storefronts boarded up
The faces are all sullen

The driver of a lonely car on the main drag sees a black and white town
Devoid of color
     Growing old
          Dying

Carved in Stone

When you first left I found you everywhere
Your favorite song on the radio
A dragonfly darting across my vision
We floated through the atmosphere together in a dream
And saw the earth’s shadow cast on the moon
I saw your eyes in a newborn baby boy
Who also smiled your smile within a few weeks
But gradually the songs stopped playing
And the dragonflies stopped darting
And the dreams stopped coming
And you are nowhere to be found
Have you gone away for good
Maybe you were never really there to begin with
Rather I have simply become
Accustomed to your absence

The Beast Within

Across the soft green grass we’d run,

Laughing blithely as we’d play.

Through the muddy creek we’d splash,

On a stifling summer’s day.

As children we were so naïve,

We knew not what was coming.

For in the distance the heart of the beast

Had already begun its thrumming.

As time got shorter and we grew older,

We held the world within our hands.

While the beast sat waiting, contemplating,

Devising his odious plans.

His attack did not come swiftly

Like a bullet from a gun.

Once you realized he was lurking,

The damage was already done.

You tried valiantly to fight him,

This red devil concealed within,

As he thieved your hair and poisoned your blood,

And burned blisters on your skin.

You unleashed your own monsters upon him

In hopes of keeping him at bay,

But he only came back stronger each time.

 He refused to go away.

You battled him until the bitter end

As he drained you of your life.

Then he carried away my sister, my friend,

A mother, a daughter, a wife.

The creature moved on to stalk new prey,

Leaving so many questions unanswered.

How can we stop this malignant demon,

The beast we know as cancer?

I'm Not Ready

You and I grew up together
Even shared a room for years
Just knowing you were there in the dark
Helped to calm my fears

But time marched on too quickly
And soon it was your wedding day
I cried myself to sleep that night
Because you weren’t there to say
“I love you”

I wasn’t ready to be without you
I wasn’t ready to move on
I wasn’t ready to do things by myself
I didn’t think I could be strong
I didn’t want to travel alone
Down some dark and dusty road
I just wasn’t ready to let you go

We’d talk and laugh together
Through nights into the dawns
My big sister, my protector
My best friend as life moved on

But it ended way too quickly
You got sick and lost your hair
Too young, you had to face the end
But laughed through fear and despair

The day I got the phone call
They said you were slipping away
I drove a hundred tear-stained miles
So I could once more say
“I love you”

I’m not ready to be without you
I’m not ready to move on
I’m not ready to do this by myself
I just don’t think I’m that strong
I don’t want to travel alone
Down this dark and dusty road
Sister, I’m not ready to let you go

On a dark stretch of highway
Late that night in May
Over the phone, one final time
I barely heard you say
“I love you”

In Giving, You'll Receive

In memory of my sister

When you love a woman, remind her every day.

You never know when she will be taken away.

Treat her with dignity even in her flaws.

Love her powerfully without giving pause.

Take plenty of pictures and share lots of mirth.

Build treasures you’ll remember when she leaves this earth.

Friend, mother, daughter, sister, aunt, grandma, wife,

Tell her you are thankful she is part of your life.

Find no regrets when her time here is through,

And remember the love she in turn gave to you.